


The Homecoming

by EverlivingGhosts



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Angst, Coming Out, Fluff, Love, M/M, Meeting the Family, Romance, cecilos - Freeform, filling a sort of prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-19
Updated: 2013-10-19
Packaged: 2017-12-29 21:18:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1010212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EverlivingGhosts/pseuds/EverlivingGhosts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos brings Cecil back to his hometown to meet his family for dinner and to, most importantly, introduce Cecil to his mother. But, like most things in Carlos's life, things don't go exactly to plan. </p>
<p>Based on a headcanon I wrote on my wtnv tumblr: http://sexybaldwin.tumblr.com</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! Although I am in the midst of writing quite a beast of a Night Vale story, I came up with this headcanon on tumblr and the idea nagged at me so much that I HAD to write a fic for it. It was only supposed to be short, but my imagination got away from me. Ah well, I hope you'll enjoy it anyway! It's un beta'd, so please forgive any spelling mistakes. I will try and iron them out. 
> 
> Also, even though it's not quite canon, I love making Carlos a bit of a sassmeister. You know the drill. 
> 
> Here's the post that started it all off:  
> http://sexybaldwin.tumblr.com/post/63668321659/imagine-if-somehow-carlos-brought-cecil-back-to
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you, my dears!

Two figures huffed and puffed their way down the crowded train platform, almost insignificant in the roiling mass of busy commuters. One of the men, tall and in a large black coat adorned with tiny stars despite the heat of the day, turned to go to the left, but steady hand gripped his arm to prevent him from advancing further.

 

"No, Cecil, it's this way." 

 

He blinked and allowed himself to be guided in the right direction by Carlos who, to him, was looking rather peculiar without his lab coat which usually hung so perfectly off his beautiful frame. He was dressed somewhat more casually than usual, in a t-shirt and jeans, and he was consulting a map in his hands, frowning slightly at the crumpled paper.

 

"Okay, well I'm pretty sure if we go to that door over there we can find a taxi to take us into town, hang on." He rummaged in a little leather satchel that was flung around his shoulder, lifting a piece of paper up with a hastily scrawled number on it. 

 

"Hey Cecil? Do you mind if I just stand over here for a moment?" He gestured towards an almost empty looking doorway in from of them. "I need to just make a quick phone call and it's too loud here. You can stay by this sign if you want." 

 

"Carlos-" But the scientist didn't hear his little squeak, focused as he was by taking his mobile out of his bag and beginning to dial a number. Cecil was left standing next to the sign, shrinking backwards as the mass of people moved around closely, tapping his fingers nervously against the cool metal beside him. People cast bemused glances at his long, buttoned up coat, but Cecil was used to extreme heat and hardly felt it; he stayed there watching the crowd in a fearful silence, his back ramrod straight. 

 

A few moments later, Carlos returned, relief etched upon his face.

 

"It's fine, we're not late! I just spoke to my sister and she says we've still got plenty of…Cecil?" 

 

He had noticed Cecil's stiff posture, his nervous movements. Carlos placed his hand on the other man's arm again, frowning as he did so. 

 

"Cecil, are you…shaking?"

 

He was; it wasn't so bad yet, but Carlos could definitely feel a slight quiver through their connected arms. Cecil was staring around at the rushing crowd at the train station, his eyes wide and overflowing with worry.

 

"There are so many people." He gulped, and when he spoke it was a whisper, " _So many people."_

 

And, seeing the fright on his face, Carlos understood. Cecil had lived in NIght Vale his whole life, had probably spent most of his years around the same people, the same faces. Most people knew everyone elses' business in Night Vale, and Cecil was of course the master of information in that quaint little town. To be faced with a whole horde of strangers he didn't know and would probably never know, well, it must be rather overwhelming. 

 

"Hey," Carlos gave his arm a gentle squeeze, "Don't be scared, Cecil. I'm here."

 

There was the faintest smile as Cecil looked down this partner, "I know."

 

They smiled at each other, relishing the contact between them as Carlos absentmindedly slipped his arm through Cecil's. They began walking towards the exit, and Carlos's voice took on a light, teasing tone. 

 

"Besides, didn't you go travelling to Europe sometime ago? Aren't you used to the crowds?"

 

Cecil looked thoughtful, summoning memories of that long ago time.

 

"Well, where I visited there wasn't a whole lot of people. We, ah, avoided the more crowded towns. Somehow, I think our appearances concerned them, though I have no idea why."

 

Carlos cast a sideways glance at Cecil's long coat which served to cover his moving tattoos, at the fringe that was swept over the tattoo on his forehead which occasionally formed into a third eye when the mood took it, but deigned not to comment. He already felt awful as Cecil had been extremely upset and hurt when Carlos explained that these quirks of his would not translate well outside of Night Vale, and that they should possibly try to cover them up, at least while they travelled. But now they were in the outside world, Cecil seemed to understand the importance of keeping his strange tattoos hidden, as he drew the coat closer around his body and away from staring eyes. He was looking concernedly at the people around them as he walked, and Carlos nudged him.

 

"Is there something wrong?"

 

"Some people are giving us _very_ dirty looks."  

 

Carlos had forgotten that his arm was still linked with Cecil's; without thinking, he ripped his arm away as quick as he could. Cecil looked down at his sudden movement, his face full of hurt.

 

"What-"

 

"Oh Cecil, I'm so _sorry_." Carlos ran a hand through his black curls, knowing how offended Cecil must be right now and wishing it could be different. But he had Cecil's safety to think of. "It's just, people aren't as tolerant here as they are in Night Vale."

 

"Tolerant of what?" 

 

Carlos cast about wildly, trying to think of the best way to explain it.

 

"Of…of boyfriends."

 

Cecil frowned, and Carlos knew he did not understand at all.

 

"What's wrong with boyfriends?"

 

"I mean boyfriends….with boyfriends."

 

He could practically hear the cogs in Cecil's brain working as he thought about this, and after a few seconds of thinking he gave a gasp of understanding.

 

"Oh! That's idiotic."

 

Carlos heaved a sigh, for once agreeing wholeheartedly with Cecil on this, "I know."

 

"I mean, in Night Vale every kind of relationship is more or less validated by the Sheriff's Secret Police, man or woman, corporeal or non-corporeal."

 

"I, um, yeah. That's what I like about it." 

 

And that was the truth; despite it's many horrific qualities, Night Vale was surprisingly a rather more tolerant place than in some parts of the world. Cecil was quiet, seemingly consumed with his thoughts as they walked. They reached the outside of the station now and waited on the sidewalk together for a taxi to pull up, standing slightly apart, and Cecil still seemed to be mulling something over.

 

"So, when we get to the house…I'm not supposed to touch you? Or say anything about us?" 

 

Carlos felt an immense sinking feeling. He had hoped to avoid this topic with Cecil ever since he had caved in and agreed to let him come and meet the rest of his family in Los Angeles. For, when Carlos had received the unexpected call from his mother one evening as they ate dinner together, she had heard Cecil in the background and had invited Carlos and his 'friend from Night Vale' to come and visit the next week. Cecil, of course, had been ecstatic at the thought of finally being introduced to the rest of the family, and Carlos could not refuse him, even though the thought of telling his family about his relationship filled him with nothing but dread.

 

it wasn't that he was ashamed of Cecil; far from it. He loved this crazy, perplexing man with his sonorous voice and liking of peculiarly patterned jumpers. The truth was was that Carlos had never told his family that he had a boyfriend…ever. He didn't know how they would react, and he absolutely did not want Cecil to get hurt.

 

"I, er, haven't exactly told my mother about us." At Cecil's deflated expression he hastily continued, "But, you never know! Maybe today, eh?"

 

He gave a nervous laugh, and Cecil looked only slightly reassured, but still rather upset. Carlos bit his lip, hating that he was hurting Cecil already.

 

"I'm sorry, Cecil, this was supposed to be fun. I'm not making it fun, am I?"

 

"No! It's alright; I understand. I think I can keep my hands off of you for one evening."

 

They both laughed at this, and Carlos quirked an eyebrow, his voice taking on a more flirtatious tone,

 

"Are you sure about that?"

 

Cecil made to grab him and Carlos dodged; they both chuckled helplessly as the cars drove past them in flashes of colour. Still smiling, they waited for a cab to stop. 

 

 

 The sun was beating down on them on the streets of Los Angeles, heralding a promising day. Cecil had been extremely excited when they had started the long trip from Night Vale ("A train! Oh, I hope it's not like the subway! We'll never get to your mother's on time!), but had become more and more withdrawn the further they had come on their journey. After their laughter had died down, he had become uncharacteristically quiet once more, a slight look of worry obvious on his face. A taxi slowly drew up to the sidewalk and they clambered in; Carlos gave directions to the driver. After this was done, he cast a furtive look around him, then placed a reassuring hand on Cecil's knee.

 

"Hey, don't you worry about anything. They're going to _love_ you." 

His kindly words were met with a sigh. 

 

"I hope so." 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

It was a very pleasant drive to Carlos's mother's house; Cecil stared wide eyed at the many kinds of buildings and greenery he saw through the window of the cab, and Carlos smiled at how very sweet his awe was. He himself was feeling rather nervous, as he had not seen his family for months now, and they were a large but rather close-knit unit. He had told his mother not to go overboard with the guests, but he knew the attempt was futile; he shuddered to think how many relatives poor Cecil would be confronted with. But Cecil was easily likeable, and Carlos was fairly certain that his family would accept him, when the time came. 

 

After a little while, the taxi drew up beside a lovely looking house with a merry red painted door, and Cecil looked out at it in apprehension, as if he was beginning to have second thoughts about the whole thing. But Carlos, after paying for the taxi, shoved Cecil out of the door and onto the soft grass on the sidewalk. The rev of the engine had barely faded into the distance when two blurred shapes shot out of the opened door of the house and launched themselves onto the unsuspecting Carlos.

 

"Uncle Carlos! Uncle Carloooos!"

 

"They're here! Uncle Carlos is here!" 

 

Carlos staggered under the weight of the two children, casting a 'please save me' look at Cecil, who simply guffawed at him, shaking his head with mirth. He rested a hand on each of their shoulders.

 

"Rosa, César, I think you _might_ be cutting off my blood supply-"

 

"Aww, you're late! We've been waiting for _ages_ -" Rosa pouted, looking up at her uncle through long lashes. César gave her a perplexed look.

 

"No we haven't, we've not even set the table yet-" Rosa stamped on her brother's foot, and he gave a howl of rage. Carlos cast his eyes to the heavens.

 

"I see nothing has changed since I've been gone. Come on, we've kept you waiting long enough." He turned around, casting his eyes behind him,"Cecil?"

 

Immediately, the two children zoned in on the man stood awkwardly behind Carlos. They looked up at his tall figure, mysterious in the coat, a very interesting stranger. Cecil, noticing their stares, raised a weak hand. 

 

"Um, hi!" 

 

They stared at him open mouthed. Carlos had forgotten how sharp Cecil's teeth sometimes looked when they shone in the sun.

 

"Kids? It's rude to stare, you know."

 

They shut their mouths with a clack, and then César spoke, his voice full of awe.

 

"You're so _tall_! Loads taller than uncle Carlos!

 

Carlos snorted, "Yeah, thanks for that, César."

 

But the boy ignored him, still drinking in Cecil's extraordinary appearance.

 "Your coat is so _cool_ -"

Rosa interrupted, nudging him out of the way to get closer to Cecil.

 

"Mr Cecil, can I try it on? Pretty please?"

 

Cesar pushed back angrily, "Hey, I asked first!"

 

Shooting his partner an exasperated look, Carlos stepped forward to intercept the bickering pair, but Cecil held up a hand and smiled easily at the two children.

 

"I know, how about you both wear it together? Then you could both put an arm in each sleeve and pretend to be me. I think the coat will be big enough for you." 

 

The two children looked ecstatic at this suggestion, grinning broadly at the stranger in front of them. Before they could say anything more, a voice called from within the house telling them to come back inside, and they scrambled back towards the bright door. Walking steadily behind their retreating figures, Carlos spoke quietly to his partner. 

 

"Nice way of swaying the situation, Cecil. I didn't know you were good with kids."

 

"Children are a precious commodity in Night Vale." Cecil stated simply. "It's crucial to understand how to protect them and how to keep them happy."

 

"You'd make a good father." The words blurted out of Carlos's mouth before he could stop them, and in response Cecil's cheeks became deliciously pink. He looked sideways at Carlos, his eyes moving wistfully over his partner's body.

 

"Maybe, one day." 

 

It was Carlos's turn to blush now, and he turned away from that intense gaze, hoping desperately that his blush would clear up by the time they met everyone else. He heard Cecil give a large gulp as they stepped over the threshold, possibly because he could also hear the loud babble of people within, a clear indication that there were quite a few strangers inside. There was a roar of greeting as Carlos stepped into the hallway.

 

"Carlos! He's here, everyone!"

 

"Good to see you Carlos, oh, and you've brought someone else too!"

 

Cecil seemed to be attempting to hide behind his partner, something which he was failing at miserably due to his taller height. Many faces peered eagerly at him, and Carlos, feeling rather nervous himself, nudged him into view.

 

"Hi everyone, this is Cecil, my," _Boyfriend, say boyfriend,_ his brain chanted relentlessly. Feeling all eyes upon him, he swallowed, "My very good friend." 

 

Cecil looked deflated at his words, but before he could do more than give Carlos a hurt look, a lady with luxurious, long black hair and a somehow familiar looking face offered him a hand.

 

"How lovely to meet you, Cecil! I think you've already met my kids." Cecil took the proffered hand and shook it firmly. She grinned sheepishly at him. "Sorry about that. I'm Lilia, Carlos's big sister."

 

"It's a pleasure to meet you." 

 

Carlos was being hugged by different relatives, exchanging happy words in rapid Spanish or English depending on who he spoke to. It seemed that everyone wanted to get a good look at Cecil, who admittedly did look rather out of place in the normal living room, with his towering frame and long coat. Unfortunately, this meant that a small huddle was forming around him, and the different people speaking from all directions was making his head swim. An elderly lady, Carlos's aunt, took his hand in a sure grip, looking closely at his face, or more specifically at his unusually coloured eyes.

 

 

"Oh, are you wearing contact lenses, my dear? Is it one of those things all of the young people do nowadays?"

 

Cecil blinked a few times at her, completely bewildered.

 

"No, no they're natural-"

 

There was a snort, and a loud voice interrupted from the doorway to the next room.

 

" _Purple_ isn't a natural eye colour." A muscular, slightly intimidating man stood in the doorway, his eyes raked over the white blonde section of Cecil's hair, at his pale skin, "You an albino, or something?"

 

Cecil looked desperately at Carlos for support, and his voice, usually so elegant, was stuttering,

"I-I don't-"

 

But Carlos squeezed Cecil's arm discreetly in an attempt to communicate that everything was fine, and turned to the man angrily.

 

"For god's sake, you can't just say things like that to people." His voice was disgusted, and his tone was mirrored by a few of the other people around them shaking their own heads, "We don't treat guests like that!"

 

Although he looked annoyed at the lecturing, the man had the good grace to look a little apologetic at least, especially as some of the older ladies were tutting at him. But he seemed to understand he had spoken rudely as if trying to keep the peace, he held out a hand for Cecil to shake. 

 

"Sorry, I forgot my manners. I'm Gabriel- Carlos here is my little brother." 

 

Cecil took it weakly, feeling the rough hand on his own smaller and paler one. Gabriel did have a look of Carlos about him, the same dark, curly hair, the same beautiful square jaw. But he was a lot taller, and where Carlos's face was gentle, his brother's face looked like it could quickly be moved to anger if the opportunity arose. Carlos felt annoyed, because he did not want Cecil to get a bad first impression of his family but, as always, his eldest brother was already being problematic. But for the moment he seemed pleasant enough, and Cecil attempted a weak smile to salvage any hurt feelings.

 

"Hi, I-I'm Cecil. It's a pleasure to meet you." 

 

Gabriel gave a wolfish grin.

 

"It's great to see you too- Carlos hasn't visited in ages, shut up in that little town you've both come from. What is it called again? Nine Valley?"

 

There was a snort and Carlos shoved his brother sideways, pushing Cecil gently in front of him.

"It's Night Vale, you idiot. I must have told you a hundred times before I left." He rolled his eyes, "Come on, Cecil, let's go and find my mo-" 

 

The word died in his throat as the door to the kitchen crashed open and a grey haired lady with a patterned apron and colourful skirt bustled through the crowd of people. Carlos's face crinkled with joy as he exclaimed, " _Mamá_! I wondered where you were!"

 

" _Mijo_ , oh, _Carlos_!" She spoke in a wonderfully lilting accent, and her voice carried through the room, cutting through the smatterings of conversation. She wasn't particularly tall, but her presence was overwhelming as she flung herself upon Carlos and hugged him with an iron grip, "It's been too long!"

 

Carlos burrowed his head into her shoulder, his eyes closing with joy as he enjoyed the hug. His voice was muffled, "I know, Mamá. I know."

 

She hugged him for a few moments longer, but after one final squeeze she turned her attention away from her son. She had the same almond shaped eyes as Carlos, and Cecil was struck by the similarity as her gaze focused on him. Nervously, he held out a hand.

 

"It's wonderful to meet you, Mrs-""

 

 

But, ignoring his hand completely, Carlos's mother launched herself onto Cecil, enclosing him in another tight hug.

"Ah, you may call me Marina! You are my guest!" 

 

"T-thank you!" Cecil spluttered, patting her weakly on the back. The people in the room chuckled at his bemused expression, and she let go of him, slapping her hands together and staring around at the gathered lot with a stern expression.

 

"I thought somebody was going to come and help me set the table? Or am I expected to do all of the work around here?" 

 

With nudges from their parents, César and Rosa ran into the kitchen in a rush of pattering feet. Marina looked after them approvingly, then announced, "The food is almost ready, everyone- I want you in the kitchen and sat down please."

 

She walked back through the kitchen door in a jangle of jewellery, leaving Cecil stood looking dazed in the middle of the room by himself. Another Aunt of Carlos's spoke kindly at his hovering figure,

"Cecil, would you like me to take your coat?"

 

The broadcaster looked up at Carlos fearfully, not knowing at all what he should do, but he nodded a little 'yes', as discreetly as he could. There was no way Cecil could keep his coat on throughout his visit, and it would be seen as rude if he refused to hand it to her. He slid off the dark material, revealing a deep purple waistcoat and long sleeved jumper that served to cover up the multitude of tattoos which ran down his arm. 

 

Carlos hadn't been quite sure of the success of this plan as Cecil's tattoos had the tendency to shift position, but his parter had assured him that he would try his best to stop this from happening. Cecil seemed to realise that his clothes were out of place, that he still struck an unusual figure amongst Carlos's family members; it made him feel skittish and awkward. Carlos wanted more than ever to take his hands, to reassure him that he needn't be nervous, but the eyes of everyone in the room were still focused on the stranger stood in the middle. Clearly observing his panic, Lilia placed her hand lightly on Cecil's arm, admiring the soft fabric.

 

"So, Cecil, why don't you tell us a bit about Night Vale? I'm dying to hear about it!"

 

Gratefully, Cecil turned to speak to her, and the rest of the family filed past in a steady line towards the kitchen. They followed the chattering crowd, and Carlos walked next to them, listening with a smile as Cecil's voice became less nervy and more enthusiastic. He was glad that Lilia had chosen to speak with him, as she would never be rude to Cecil even if he told her about the strange happenings of Night Vale and she didn't quite believe him. He hoped that the rest of the family would be as polite to him when he started explaining more about the stranger aspects of Night Vale, as he inevitably would.

 

The kitchen was large enough to accommodate the large party of people, although it was a tight squeeze around the immense wooden table. Carlos felt rather bad as he had intended for them to arrive earlier, but leaving Night Vale was always easier said than done, and no matter how precisely one planned it one always arrived at the outside of the town later than they ever intended. But they were here, and that was the important thing. Carlos made sure he was sat next to Cecil to reassure him in case he became nervous again, and the children finished setting the table with a flourish. 

 

As they sat down, Carlos leaned towards Cecil and Lilia's conversation, grinning slightly at Cecil's wildly gesturing arms.

 

"I can't believe all the mountains I saw on the way here! I mean, wow, _real_ mountains!"

 

Lilia's face contained a perplexed smile on it, and she couldn't help politely saying, "Oh, er, are there no mountains in Night Vale?"

 

Cecil shook his head, his voice taking on a reverent tone.

 

"Nuh uh, I didn't even think they were real." He chuckled. "Guess I was wrong about that."

 

Many eyes were staring at Cecil's extraordinary words, and although Cecil had not noticed yet, Carlos felt an immense sinking feeling. He had known before they came that he wouldn't be able to prevent Cecil from talking about the strangeness of Night Vale, and the more he had thought about it the more he realised that he didn't want to stop him. His family were going to have to accept Cecil for what he was, though he knew it was going to have to be a very patient process.

 

"The thing about Night Vale," He began carefully, trying hard not to offend Cecil, "Is that it's a very…unusual place." 

 

Hearing his words, Carlos's older brother whipped his head around from where he was talking to one of his aunt's, his voice scathing.

 

"You're right about that. No-one I know has even _heard_ of it."

 

Cecil looked hurt at this, staring around at the many heads nodding in agreement with Gabriel's words.

 

"Really? No-one? You must have heard of Big Rico's Pizza?" More heads shook, and he carried on desperately, "The Sheriff's Secret Police, Mayor Pamela Winchell?" More shaking heads. "N-not even Hiram McDaniels? Oh, but he's so famous! He's a-"

 

"Err, Cecil, never mind about that." Carlos cut across, trying to communicate wordlessly for Cecil not to carry on. The words 'Five headed dragon' died in his throat, and he stared despondently at his plate. The atmosphere turned awkward, and an aunt turned towards Cecil and asked kindly,

 

"So, Cecil, what is it that you do for a job?"

 

Noticing that he still looked sad, Carlos jumped at the chance to make him feel better.

 

"Cecil," He explained proudly, "Is the broadcaster for Night Vale Radio."

 

There were many exclamations of delight at this, and the aunt smiled, patting Cecil's arm lightly.

 

"Ah, I thought you had a _lovely_ voice, mi querido."

 

He blushed at the compliment, "T-thank you."

 

But, Gabriel looked over at him, his head resting on one of his hands and frowning.

 

"Yeah, but what's your actual job?"

 

Cecil looked deeply confused at the question, and Carlos felt himself becoming annoyed again. He couldn't understand what his brother's problem was, and it was beginning to get on his nerves; he wasn't usually so rude to guests. Cecil spoke in a small voice,

 

"That…that is my job."

 

"Really? Huh. didn't realise it would be full time-"

 

"It's a very important job."

 

 Carlos looked glared angrily at his brother as Cecil seemed to shrink in his seat, 

"Without Cecil providing information, the town would be _lost_."

 

"Alright, alright." He held up his hands in mock defence, " I was only saying, jeez!" 

 

 

Carlos wanted to ask him what exactly his problem was, but, thankfully, any further discussion on the matter was stopped as Carlos's mother re-entered the room laden with dishes, followed by a few family members who were similarly burdened. The food wafted tantalisingly through the room as large dishes of steaming paella were laid on the table, ready to be dished out by each person. Although it was slightly overwhelming being surrounded by so many people after only really eating meals with Cecil, Carlos had to admit that he had missed bustling family meals. Despite the fact that, as usual, Gabriel was grinding on his nerves, it was pleasant to be surrounded by so much noise and laughter. 

 

To Carlos's relief, Cecil seemed to be ignoring the slightly waspish comments of his older brother, as he heard his laughter as he engaged with the people around them. He had been worried that Cecil might find the food unusual or unpleasant, as Night Vale did not have a whole lot of Spanish or Mexican cuisine, but it was obvious on his face that he was relishing the change. He leaned towards Carlos's mother, his voice back to its usual purr.

 

"Marina, this food is simply _exquisite_." 

 

She waved a hand dismissively, but it was plain to see that she was pleased by the compliment.

 

"Ay, it is nothing. I always enjoy cooking for the whole family."

 

"I see where Carlos gets it from. He's a _very_ good cook."

 

It was a throwaway comment, but Carlos saw his mother peering at Cecil with a little bit too much understanding. it was always difficult to hide anything from his mother, and Carlos hoped desperately that she had not read too much into Cecil's words. To his relief, she smiled,

 

"Yes, Carlos was always at my ankles in the kitchen, trying to help me. Maybe that's why you like science so much, Carlos- you certainly did enough experiments in the kitchen."

 

There was a smattering of laughter at this, and Lilia exclaimed, "I'd forgotten! Wasn't it you, Carlos, that tried to invent savoury ice cream and somehow nearly set the house on fire?" 

 

"Hey, it nearly worked!" His voice, mock offended, attracted even more laughter, "At least I had vision." 

 

His mother shook her head at the memory, and Cecil was consumed with the adorable mental image of a younger Carlos sneaking around the kitchen, getting in his mother's way. he ate another mouthful of the delicious rice, then prodded at a piece of food on his plate curiously.

 

"One question, though. What is this?"

 

Carlos's mother leaned over to inspect what he was pointing at, exclaiming,

 

"Ah, las gambas, a prawn, to you."

 

"A prawn." Cecil repeated it wondrously, feeling the word on his tongue. César quirked an eyebrow sceptically.

 

"You _must_ have heard of a prawn before."

 

"It's seafood, I think? We do not have much seafood in Night Vale, although I do like it very much. This tastes wonderful, for example."

 

César snorted, "Night Vale sounds like a weird place!"

 

To Carlos's surprise, Cecil smiled a wolfish grin, leaning towards the scoffing boy, "That's not the weirdest thing." 

 

"No?"

 

"We have the Sheriff's Secret Police, balaclava'd enforcers of justice that patrol the town, enforcing law and keeping any nuisance at bay." The boy's eyes were wide with the excitement of this image, and the adults smiled, assuming that Cecil was teasing him, "And we also have, in the station bathroom," He paused for effect, "A floating cat."

 

Both children shouted "Cool!" in unison as the adults chuckled, shaking their heads at Cecil's words, not taking him seriously in the slightest. In truth, Carlos was rather relieved about that, as them not quite believing Cecil was preferable to them being harsh towards him. It was lovely seeing him engaging with the children, making them laugh whilst he attempted to do impressions of Khoshekh, the Glow Cloud and many other of Night Vale's menaces. He could tell that they found him to be slightly odd, but also thought he was wonderful. 

 

Gathering his nerves, he discreetly took Cecil's hand under the table, entwining their fingers together softly. He saw Cecil give a little pause, glancing back at Carlos with a surprised and contented smile. Those long, delicate fingers squeezed his own gently, and Carlos was struck by how immensely glad that he had agreed for Cecil to come to this family meal. 

 

But, this sudden feeling of joy didn't last for long. Carlos's mother stood up from the table, declaring that she was going to go and sort out the desert,  waving all helpful hands away, claiming that she was capable of sorting it out herself, thank you very much. As she moved away from the table, she looked at Carlos and he saw with horror her eyes taking in his hand which was holding so tightly onto Cecil's under the table. He let go, but he saw her pause, her face containing an inscrutable expression.

 

"Carlos, could you please come with me into the kitchen? I think I do need your help, actually."

 

 

Heart beating bit to burst, he extricated himself from the table, Cecil throwing him a perplexed look as he moved away. Carlos said nothing, staring intently at the retreating figure of his mother. Oh god, she had definitely seen them; what would she say? Was she angry? Oh, he did not want Cecil to feel unwelcome, but the indomitable presence of his mother loomed; usually she was fair, but was an incredibly difficult person to gauge. She did not speak, silently leading him into the kitchen.

 

When the door closed with a soft click, and she turned to face him, fearsome even in a patterned apron. She looked him straight in the eye, her face revealing nothing, and said, "Son…you bagged a hot one."

 

For a few moments, the only sound that could be heard in the room was the ticking of the clock on the wall as Carlos stared at her. He could hardly think, her words had been so unexpected that random noises escaped from his throat, unintelligible words that made no sense. He gulped, weakly noticing his mother's amused expression.

 

"W-what?" 

 

"Carlos, please. I am your mother. You didn't bring Cecil here as a 'friend'."

 

"B-but-" 

 

"I want you to know that I approve of him." She smiled again, that lovely smile that sometimes could be so hard won in childhood, "You do not need my approval, but you have it. I think he is a lovely man, and I am happy for you."

 

Carlos could not believe it, could not comprehend that she was taking this revelation so well. All of his life he had been hiding from his family, pretending that boyfriends were girlfriends, never bringing a single parter home. Members of his family had questioned his apparent bachelor's life, but most had assumed that he was simply busy with his scientific career and had a partner stashed away somewhere. Her approval meant the world to him, and yet it punched a ragged hole in his chest at all of the years lost to secrecy and shame. He couldn't help the wobble from entering his voice, from the tears that threatened to fall as he stared into the soft, gentle eyes of his mother.

 

"You knew?

 

There was a sigh, a sigh laden with regret.

 

"Carlos, I raised you- of course I did."

 

Again, a punch to the chest. All of this time she had known? It was too much; a small tear fell down his cheek.

 

"But why didn't you _say_ anything?"

 

Carlos's mother moved lightly from where she was stood, grasping both of Carlos's arms and staring intently upwards into his face. He had missed her so much but, inexplicably, this information hurt more that he ever thought it could. She seemed to sense his inner turmoil, as her voice was so soft.

 

"I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable; I knew you would tell me when you were ready."  She stroked his arms, "I know I left it too late, and I am sorry. I hope you can forgive me."

 

The apology did nothing to make him feel better, but he accepted it eagerly, accepted her approval like a starving man. He thought about the rest of his family, hardly daring to hope that they would also be so accepting, and his mind focused on one person in particular; his father. He had died before Carlos had come to Night Vale, but his stern face, easily moved to laughter but still rather intimidating, swam in his mind. His voice was still shaky,

 

"But Pápa, he wouldn't…he wouldn't have understood."

 

His mother's mouth tightened slightly as it usually did at the mention of his father. They didn't talk about him much any more, because no one wanted to see the pain on her face. But, her voice was strong and steady.

 

"Your father was proud of you Carlos, so proud. A scientist!" She squeezed his arms, "I'm sure he knew as much as I did, and he didn't care one little bit. We were, and I still am, so proud of you."

 

He couldn't help it, at her words he flung himself around her shoulders, his face buried into her soft, reassuring warmth. She patted him on the back in soothing circles, just as she had done when he was a little boy, and kissed the side of his head. His voice, somewhat muffled, was shaking.

 

"It's been so _hard_ for me, Máma."

 

"I know, my little Carlos, I know." She patted him on his glorious hair, her pride and joy when he had been little, and he looked up at her. "But you've got Cecil now.

 

"And you really do approve of him? Even though…" He did not want to carry on that sentence, as he hated the thought of offending Cecil. But his mother caught his drift, and smiled.

 

"He is a little…unusual, if that's what you mean. But, I would love to make him part of the family."

 

"That would mean so much to him, Máma. He doesn't really have one."

 

"Well, that's lucky, as I think we have enough family for both of you!"

 

They both laughed together at this, the smile alighting which was at odds with his tear stained face. His mother gave him one last squeeze and let go.

 

"Come on, we need to sort out the dessert or everyone will be wondering where we have gotten to."

 

And Carlos followed her, feeling lighter and more at peace than he had done for years. 

 

 ***


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I hope I haven't offended anyone with my mangled use of Spanish/ poor lack of geographical knowledge. I left the exact location of Carlos's mother's house vague, as I wasn't quite confident enough of my knowledge of America. I've tried to be sensitive, but please let me know if I've got anything wrong.
> 
> Please, enjoy!

 

 

Cecil had noticed Carlos's grin as he had come back from the kitchen, at his suddenly relaxed manner. He had asked what had made him so happy, but Carlos had just said cryptically, "Oh, it's good to be home." 

 

They were eating churros together, and it was a cacophony of arms and sugar as people collided on their way to dipping the churros into pots of melted chocolate sauce. There was a magnitude of giggling as Cecil and Rosa collided for the third time, both beginning a sort of impromptu sword fight with their desserts. In the scuffle, some of the chocolate sauce flew through the air and landed on Cecil's sleeve, staining the brightly patterned design. Rosa looked horrified,

 

"Oh, Mr Cecil, I'm sorry!"

 

But he waved her away, scrubbing at the stain, "It doesn't matter! I have loads of jumpers at home. Let me just-"

 

Unthinking, he rolled his sleeve back, and Rosa gave a large gasp which attracted the attention of the entire room. Carlos brought his attention away from a conversation with an uncle, in time to hear her shout,

 

"Is that a _tentacle_ on your arm?" 

 

He had accidentally revealed the tattoos which had been concealed under the jumper, the inky tentacles and mysterious symbols clear to see by everyone in the room. Blessedly, they were not moving, but Carlos could sense that Cecil was probably straining very hard for this not to happen, now that he was being watched by so many people. Many people around the table looked fascinated but the designs, but some were horrified, staring at the detailed tentacles especially. The children looked awed, and Cecil felt extremely self conscious.

 

"Y-es, it is."

 

"Woah," César said breathlessly, "Do you have any more?"

 

Feeling that there was nothing left to lose, Cecil unrolled the sleeve on his other arm, revealing yet more intricate tentacles and mysterious shapes and runes. Carlos had grown so used to the tattoos, he _loved_ them, that he had forgotten the shock of finding Cecil covered in them. Of course, one voice in the room was the loudest of all, sounding disgusted.

 

"Are you _crazy_?"

 

 For the first time, Carlos saw a shadow of anger pass across cecil's face; it seemed that Cecil had not been ignoring his brother's rudeness as much as he had thought. He made a move to prevent him from doing something irrational, but too late, Cecil leaned forwards staring intently at Gabriel with a sinister smile, his voice so awfully smooth.

 

"I don't know," he said casually, brushing his fringe away, revealing the eye tattoo on his forehead, "Am I?" 

 

Gabriel backed away from him in his chair, swearing furiously under his breath in rapid Spanish. Although Cecil's tattoo had been just that, a tattoo, Carlos wasn't sure if for half a second it had flashed to reveal his third eye; whether it had or not, his older brother looked simultaneously terrified and disgusted. He opened his mouth, possibly to spit some more vicious words, but his mother slammed a hand on the table.

 

"Gabriel, _enough!"_

 

He snapped his mouth shut, glaring at his mother angrily, but Carlos felt a rage building up inside him, rising and rising, unstoppable.

 

"I don't know, Máma. Gabriel seems to have had a problem with Cecil all evening, and I for one am eager to find out why."

 

 

Sneering, his brother pointed a finger at Cecil, who jerked backwards to get away from it.

 

"Why? He's a freak! _Look_ at him, Carlos," A few of the other family members tried to interrupt in favour of Cecil, but he just spoke over them loudly, "Purple eyes, covered in tattoos- they're moving for Christ's sake!" 

 

They were, undulating soft paths across his skin. Cecil seems to have lost control over them, his hands tightly clenching the table as he refused to look at any of the people gathered around who were staring at him in a horrified fascination. 

 

"No, you've had a problem ever since he came in, and he hasn't even done anything to you!"

 

Gabriel raked his eyes across Cecil again, his voice defiant, "There's something about him I just don't like. Something weird."

 

 

People were staring at Cecil now, mesmerised by his softly moving tattoos, but to Carlos's relief most of the faces were more fascinated than disgusted. He had feared that something like this might happen if he brought Cecil to meet his family, but now that the situation had finally arrived he found himself to be far angrier than he would have expected. 

 

"I think we should go into the other room, Gabriel."

 

"No." His arms were folded against his chest, "I think we can discuss it right here. There are more things I'd like to talk about, _dear brother_."

 

At his ominous words, people in the room began to fidget, wondering what on Earth he was going to accuse Carlos of now. 

 

"Gabriel-" Lilia began, her voice pleading, but he cut her off.

 

"No, Lilia. I'm not just going to pretend everything is alright." He turned to Carlos, his eyes burning with rage, "I'd like to know why you've been hiding in that little town since papá died."

 

There was a collective wince as he said this, and Marina stiffened. Carlos looked hopelessly at her,

 

"I haven't been hiding!"

 

"We haven't seen you in months, Carlos! You never visit, you hardly call- if Mamá hadn't called you up last week you wouldn't even _be_ here! And it's been up to me to make sure that she is looked after!" His face was screwed up as he spat the words, " Do you even care about that? Or have you been too busy doing _science_?"

 

"I-I-I," Carlos stammered hopelessly; there was far too much truth in his brothers cutting words. He _had_ neglected them, and he felt a hot shame in his stomach, "It's difficult to leave Night-"

 

"Oh, I'm sorry, are we too _difficult_ for you to handle?"

 

His voice was like ice, ripping through the air. Marina spoke loudly, her voice almost matching his in ferocity.

 

"Gabriel, I said that is _enough_. I don't need looking after, and I'm not expecting any of you to give up your lives for me. I've been fine-"

 

"That's a lie, Mamá, and you know it. I know you've been missing him, waiting for him to at least call from that godforsaken place."

 

She paused, and Carlos knew it was true; he felt awful. Cecil had been watching the exchanges silently, sinking further and further into his chair as if this would help him to disappear. He turned to Carlos, whispering hopelessly,

 

"I need to go, Carlos, I-"

 

Upon hearing his words, Gabriel's attention was drawn to him again, eyes narrowed as he took in the tattoos again,

 

"What is it about Night Vale, eh? Is it so much more _exciting_ , so much more _interesting_ than your own family?" 

 

Carlos wished that more people would speak up, would help him challenge his frothing brother, but the rest of the table contained only a shocked silence that pervaded the whole room, eyes darting between the arguing men. He tried to calm his voice down, to speak calmly, but it was a tremendous struggle.

 

"Of course not. You know how much I love our family."

 

 

"Well then, why did you bring _him_? You disappear for months, then finally arrive out of the blue with some _puto_ boyfriend, and it makes me sick."

 

And with that, he had finally done it. Although some had their suspicions, no-one had actually alluded to the fact that Cecil was Carlos's boyfriend, and Gabriel's poisonous insult caused the already strained atmosphere of the room to multiply tenfold. Looking terrified, Cecil half lifted from his seat, his voice begging now.

 

"I-I, I should go-"

 

"Sit down, Cecil dear." 

 

It was Carlos's mother that had spoken, much to the surprise of the people sat around the table. Her voice was extraordinary calm, and yet it contained an authority that no one dared to defy, not even Gabriel. Carlos shot her a grateful glance as Cecil sat weakly back in his chair, but his brother looked simply furious.

 

"But, Mamá, you can't possibly-"

 

"I can. And I will." 

 

She was an indomitable force on the table, staring coolly over her plate at her enraged son. Carlos was so unspeakably thankful for her words, as he knew that if he had her support then the family would be more likely to follow suit. But, the raging bull he was, Gabriel spat again,

 

"It makes me _sick_." 

 

Carlos knew he needed to remain calm, to divert the situation, but, the longer Gabriel spoke his vitriolic words, the more an angry bile rose in Carlos's throat, threatening to overwhelm his usually rational mind. He found that he could not control it, nor did he want to. 

 

"How _dare_ you," His voice crackled across the table towards the other man, gaining volume with each word he spoke, "How _dare_ you speak about Cecil like that."

 

Gabriel sat up straight, his thunderous expression expressing the very strong desire for a fight. The children were now gazing open mouthed at the two brothers and Cecil, and the adults felt incredibly uncomfortable as it seemed that a fight was imminent. Realising that the brothers might come to blows just because of him filled Cecil with horror, and he grasped Carlos's arm desperately, his face twisted with worry.

 

"Carlos, it doesn't matter, it's fine-"

"No, Cecil, it's not!" He shook the hand off, staring at Gabriel in hatred. "Well then, we make you sick do we?"

 

But Gabriel had been staring intently when Cecil had grabbed Carlos's arm, and everyone had seen how Cecil had looked at Carlos, with a face full of concern and obvious care.

 

"So you _are_ boyfriends then?" He looked disgusted. "Pah."

 

 

"He's not my boyfriend." Carlos had risen from the table now, his hands clenched into tight fists, staring at his brother in unbridled anger. Many people gasped at this, and some muttered that he should sit down, but Carlos ignored them, his eyes focused on one man and one man only. Gabriel snorted in derision.

 

"Yeah, right-"

"He's _not_ my boyfriend," Carlos repeated, his head held high. "He's my _fiancé_."  

 

There was silence, complete and utter silence. Everybody had frozen around the table at Carlos's ringing words, utterly at a loss as to what they should say, and not knowing quite how to react. It was a completely unexpected turn of events, and slowly, all eyes moved to Cecil who looked like he had just been punched in the stomach, his eyes wide and his breathing fast. His mouth opened and closed, unable to produce any intelligible words for a few seconds. Eventually, he looked up as Carlos as if he hardly dared to believe what he had just said.

 

"W-what?"

 

"To be perfectly honest, I kind of wanted it to be a bit more of a romantic surprise." He sighed. "But I suppose I've never been very good at those." 

 

He moved his chair backwards and shifted out of his place, moving so that he was now stood directly next to Cecil's seat. He wished that it wasn't such an awful situation, but this was the only way he could think of making it better, of proving to Cecil and his whole family how serious his feelings were. Cecil's hand flew to his mouth as Carlos bent onto one knee, taking his partner's remaining hand in both of his own and looking up intently.  Everyone around the table gave a gasp of surprise and craned to get a closer look, their eyes flickering from the still frozen Gabriel to the other two. It was as if the deadly atmosphere of mere moments before had been forgotten as Carlos smiled up at Cecil and stroked his hand with a tender caress.

 

"Cecil, I'm so, so sorry that this isn't as perfect as it should have been, that _I_ am not as perfect as I could have been. But I love you, so much that it scares me sometimes," Tears were dripping down Cecil's face, one fell with a soft plink onto their connected hands. Their eyes met, wordless feelings of wonder were exchanged; the anticipation in the room doubled. Carlos continued,

 

"Cecil, will you marry me?" 

 

For a moment, a terrible moment, Carlos thought that he might have misjudged the situation slightly. Cecil did not speak, was still covering his mouth with one hand and the tears flowed freely from his face in long, steady rivulets. But then, the hand was moved, and his mouth was grinning, wider than Carlos had ever seen him grin, and his eyes were sparkling in the light with both tears and ecstatic, wondrous joy.

 

 

"Yes! Oh, yes! Oh… _Carlos,"_

 

Without even stopping to think about it, Cecil leant down and kissed Carlos full on the lips, their softness so lovely and calming after the turmoil of emotions he had been going through that evening that it made his head spin deliciously. They only broke apart when somebody coughed pointedly, and Cecil was red-faced as he retreated beck to his chair, embarrassed that he had kissed Carlos in front of his whole family. Carlos's cheeks also had a pink tinge, but his face was full of a challenge as he peered around the table at each staring person.

 

"If anyone has a problem with this," His gaze lingered for a particularly long time on Gabriel, "I want you to leave. _Now_."

 

Slowly, Gabriel lifted himself up from his chair and moved towards the other side of the table. Heart sinking, Carlos straightened his back, his posture as firm and challenging as it had been moments before. Although Carlos was the shorter man, he stared evenly at his brother, his body tensed up as if he expected a fight. He flinched as Gabriel moved his hand, but to everyones' surprise, it landed gently on Cecil's shoulder. He seemed to be struggling with a thought, the conflict of emotions obvious on his face. Eventually, he coughed, then said in a gruff voice. 

 

"Congratulations, Cecil. Welcome to the family." 

 

But Cecil could only stare at him, unable to form a coherent sentence. Gabriel saw a similar confusion on Carlos's face, and he sighed. "Look, I overreacted. I let myself be distracted by…other things. You both look so happy and…" He paused, taking a deep breath, "I'm sorry. It's not enough, but I am."

 

The brothers exchanged a look, and an unspoken understanding seemed to pass between them. Carlos knew that Gabriel was often hotheaded, letting his emotions overtake his rational thoughts, and had always feared that he would not take kindly to Cecil being his boyfriend. Even though he suspected it, it had hurt so intensely when he had been spouting his awful words, and Carlos wasn't sure how easily he could forgive him, if he would ever forgive him for being so cruel to Cecil. But, after Gabriel had seen the absolute joy in Carlos's face when he had grasped his partner's hands and the returned look of adoration from Cecil, Gabriel knew that he was utterly in the wrong, that his thoughts had been vile and prejudiced. He might seem rough, but Gabriel wanted the best for his little brother and, swallowing his previous statements, he could see that Cecil was the very best. 

 

Carlos's mother rose from the table, and all eyes followed this movement. She spoke in a clear, crisp voice.

 

"I am ashamed of what you said, Gabriel, _ashamed_." Her oldest son hung his head; at her words he somehow looked like a young boy again. She continued, "But I am glad you have apologised. We welcome _anybody_ into this family, and if I find anyone being at all unwelcome to Cecil," Her dark gaze smouldered across the room, causing anyone it landed on to flinch. "You will have _me_ to answer to. Understand?" 

 

She looked so absolutely frightening that everyone felt quite chastised. There was a general murmur of assent, then Lilia's voice called loudly,

 

"Congratulations, Carlos and Cecil!" 

 

Hastily, everyone else in the room called out similar words of congratulations, people moving out of their seats to shake Carlos and Cecil's hands in turn. Everyone smiled at each other, and though they were busy chatting to various people, occasionally Carlos and Cecil would cast a glance at each other, both faces full of a pure and unbridled joy. 

 

It was Rosa and César's turn to congratulate them, and Carlos quirked an eyebrow at his nephew's look of mild disgust.

 

"What's wrong with you?"

 

"You _kissed_ him." He flapped his arms at Carlos's bemused look, sticking his tongue out, "Kissing's _gross."_

 

Cecil laughed heartily as he heard their conversation and flung an arm around Carlos's shoulder.

 

"Oh, _really_?" He turned his head to the left, "Oh dear, my sweet Carlos. I think we might be gross. I suppose we must have to carry on, somehow." 

 

Carlos nodded, his face full of mock seriousness.

 

"Yes, I fear we must. For science." Laughing, Cecil kissed him on the cheek and César winced, wailing "Ewww!"

 

Rosa nudged him out of the way, casting him a despairing glance. She looked up at Cecil,

 

"Uncle Cecil, pretty please could we try on your coat now?" 

 

It took him a few moments to process what she had said, and his eyes widened at her words.

 

"O-of course! It's in the hallway, I think."

 

She gave him a smile and darted out of the room, Cesar following her with a yell. When they had disappeared through the door, Carlos turned to Cecil, shaking his head with amusement. He was surprised to see Cecil still stood with a slightly shocked expression, staring after the retreating children. 

 

"Hey Cecil, are you ok?"

 

"Carlos, I'm," His eyes sparkled with joy, "I'm an uncle! 

 

The happiness on his face was wonderful to behold, and Carlos couldn't help it; he drew Cecil into a hug, embracing the taller man in his comfortable arms. Cecil burrowed into his neck, his voice a little muffled, "Uncle Cecil." he repeated, ecstasy evident in his words. Carlos kissed him on his cheek.

 

"It's a lot more soul-destroying than you might think." 

 

Cecil just grinned at him, then Carlos felt him suddenly stiffen. He brought his face away and saw Gabriel stood in the doorway of the room, twisting his hands nervously as he watched them together. Carlos couldn't help a slight coldness enter his voice.

 

"Is there something you want?" 

 

"Carlos, Cecil, I think I'm going to leave now. I was…what I said before wasn't okay." he sighed. "No, that's not right- I was despicable. I might as well-"

 

'No." It was Cecil who had spoken, surprising the two other men. "Please stay. We've hardly gotten to know each other." 

 

Gabriel stared at the broadcaster, incredulous. "But I don't deserve to stay, and I don't think the family is very happy with me at the moment-"

 

"No, please, don't leave. It can be difficult accepting something strange and unusual." He looked at Carlos, who remembered Cecil's panic at the train station and gently stroked his arm. "We just got off on the wrong foot." He extended his hand towards the shocked man. "Shall we start over?"

 

Although he clearly looked as if he felt he didn't deserve it, he took the proffered hand and shook it. 

 

"Thanks, Cecil."

 

"it's quite alright. After all, we're going to be brother-in-laws, aren't we? We'll need to get on for that." 

 

 

"True." They let go of each other's hands, each still nervous but glad they had cleared the air. Carlos indicated that they should begin walking to the other room so they moved on, he and Cecil holding hands together. The family whooped as they re-entered the living room, catcalls and cheering filling the air. An aunt and uncle of Carlos's budged up on the sofa, and Cecil was pushed onto it by another giggling family member. Lilia sat on the arm of the sofa, laughing as Cecil gave a whelp of surprise, landing softly onto the chair.

 

"We've had a discussion," She said, indicating the people around her, "And we've decided that we want to hear all about Night Vale."

 

"Oh." Cecil blushed, "I'm sure you don't-"

 

"We do, we do!" César chanted, "Everything! Especially the floating cat."

 

Cecil stared around at all of the eager faces, touched that they had clearly decided to accept him despite his apparent unusualness. He settled back into the comfortable sofa, and Carlos shivered with delight as his voice took on his deep, sonorous tones he used for his radio broadcasts, speaking the words he had fallen in love to.

 

"Night Vale is a friendly desert community where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful, and mysterious lights pass overhead while we all pretend to sleep."

 

The people seemed to draw in closer, mesmerised by his eloquent words and beautiful voice. Carlos, full of emotions from their roller coaster of an evening, leaned in and kissed him behind the ear, whispering the words that he knew usually came next, but which Cecil did not need to say. 

 

"Welcome to Night Vale."

 

Cecil smiled at him, and Carlos moved away so he could continue unhindered. They sat there, listening to that mesmerising voice and all of the ridiculous, mysterious and wonderful things it told them, and Carlos smiled. 

 

He was home.

 


End file.
